Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center – 10 September Report
Operations and Attacks in Southeast…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 9, 2019 that 3 militants died in a clash between security forces and HPG militants in Kemah district of Erzincan on August 13, 2019; 1 militant died in an air operation of Turkish Air Forces to Haftanin area in Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government on September 4, 2019. It is learned that 1 soldier who got heavily wounded due to an explosion during military operation in rural areas of Hakkari’s Çukurca district, died on September 9, 2019.
Prisoner Died…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 9, 2019 that, Mehmet Selim Bugrahan (87), a prisoner in Maras Türkoglu L Type Prison, fell ill and died in Sütçü Imam University Hospital where he was taken to.
Torture and Ill-Treatment in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 9, 2019 that in Urfa Hilvan E Type Prison No 2 visit days of prisoners are being arbitrarily changed by the administration; prisoners’ radios are being seized; and prisoners are having health problems due to water cuts.
Food Poisoning in Prison…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 9, 2019 that, prisoners in Izmir Sakran T Type Prison No 4 had food poisoning after eating the food given by prison administration. It is reported that prisoners were given serum treatment in prison infirmary. It is claimed in the news reports that the food given to prisoners was expired.
Torture and Ill-Treatment Under Custody in Diyarbakir…
It is learned from the news coverage of September 9, 2019 that, Zeliha Barin, was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, was threatened to death and was forced to be a police informant under custody in Diyarbakir. Zeliha Barin was first subjected to knife attack of the group who has been having a sit-in protest about their missing children, in front of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakir office and then was detained by the police arriving there.
Zeliha Barin states the following: “They tried to detain me and I was subjected to verbal and physical violence of the police at that time. They said ‘How many children did you take to mountains [referring to PKK camps], which ways did you use, did you take them over Lice or Dicle?’ and asked questions that I have nothing to do with (…) I did not accept their accusations. Before taking me into the Ranger brand vehicle in front of my house, a police officer hit me with the stock of his gun and my father tried to block me to protect. I resisted and then I was detained. I was taken to hospital but they gave me a report saying that I was not beaten (…) They asked illegal questions as it were a chat, they implicitly forced me to be a police informant and said ‘Help us so that we will help you too’. I refused to have a conversation with them.”
Police Intervention Against “I Want My Job Back” Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the press declaration of public labourers who had been dismissed by a state of emergency decree and have been struggling 1035 days to regain their jobs, intended to be held in front of Human Rights Monument in Yüksel Street on September 9, 2019 at 13.30, and at 18.00.
It was reported that during police intervention against the press declaration which was planned to be held at 13.30 on September 9, 2019, 2 people (Mehmet Dersulu and Nazan Bozkurt) and at 18.00 2 people (Mehmet Dersulu and Nazan Bozkurt) were detained. Thus in total 12 people were detained due to press declaration intended to be held in Yüksel Street on September 9, 2019. It is learned detained people were released on the same days they were detained.
Police Intervention Against a Protest in Ankara…
The police intervened the protestors in front of Çankaya Public Health Directorate on September 9, 2019, who rally to regain their jobs from which they had been dismissed by state of emergency decrees, and detained 2 people (Mahmut Konuk and Cemal Yildirim). It is learned that 2 people were released the same day.
Police Intervention Against a Protest in Istanbul…
The police intervened the sit-in protest at Bakirköy Square on September 9, 2019 of Nursel Tanriverdi who rally to regain her job from which she had been dismissed by state of emergency decree, and detained her by using physical violence. It is learned that Nursel Tanriverdi was released on the same day after statement procedures.
Police Intervention Against a Protest in Diyarbakir…
The police used pepper spray to intervene the residents who held a protest power cuts by DEDAS energy company in Seyrantepe neighbourhood of Diyarbakir’s Bismil district on September 9, 2019. It is learned that numerous people including women and children were affected by the intervention.
Former HDP Executive and Other People Arrested in Agri…
9 of 10 people including former district co-chair of HDP who were detained in Patnos district of Agri on September 6, 2019 are arrested by the court on September 9, 2019. 1 person is released on judicial control conditions. The names of arrested people are: former HDP Patnos co-chair Seyit Battalcan, Mugdat Koçak, Ozan Kaya, Emrah Kaya, Nihat Keles, Özcan Koçak, Izzet Dursun.
Journalist on Trial in Izmir…
The final trial of the case against Jinnews reporter Melike Aydin, for her social media posts, is held at Izmir Heavy Penal Court No 20 on September 9, 2019. The court sentenced Melike Aydin to 1 year and 3 months on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and deferred the announcement of the verdict.
Former Co-Mayor on Trial…
Ercis Heavy Penal Court No 1 has sentenced 38 people including former Ercis district co-mayor Diba Keskin and former Ercis city council member Mehmet Nuri Çiçek, to 13 years and 9 months each, for participating in declaration of “self-governance” on October 12, 2015. As the court’s verdict was reversed, retrial of 38 people began on September 9, 2019. Diba Keskin refused to join the trial via sound and vision system. The court sentenced Diba Keskin and Mehmet Nuri Çiçek to 10 years each for ‘being an illegal organisation member’. The court decided to release Diba Keskin who was arrested on October 14, 2015. A trustee was appointed to Ercis Municipality on September 11, 2016.
The Cases Against Academics Who Are the Signatories of the Petition “We will not be a party to this crime!”…
The case against 3 academicians (Professor Süleyman Kizil, Professor Murat Biricik and Professor Fikret Uyar from Dicle University) for signing the petition “We will not be a party to this crime!” on Diyarbakir Heavy Penal Court No 11 for ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ is held on September 9, 2019. The court acquitted 3 academicians.
The case against 3 academicians Assoc. Professor Sevilay Çelenk from Ankara University, Professor Cem Terzi from Dokuz Eylül University and Abdullah Deveci from Eskisehir Anadolu University) for the same reason on Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 28 is resulted in acquittal by preceding judgment on September 9, 2019.
Kiziltepe JITEM Case…
The final trial of the case against 4 military members and 5 temporary village guards, for the crimes committed by Gendarmerie Intelligence and Anti-Terror Unit members between 1992 and 1996 in Kiziltepe district of Mardin, is held on Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 5 on September 9, 2019.
The court acquitted retired colonel Hasan Atilla Ugur on the charge of ‘establishing or leading an armed organisation’; and acquitted Diyarbakir Gendarmerie Commander Esref Hatipoglu; Gendarmerie Company Commander Ahmet Boncuk; master sergeant Ünal Alkan and village guards Abdurrahman Kurga, Mehmet Emin Kurga, Ramazan Çetin, Mehmet Salih Kilinçaslan and Ismet Kandemir on the charge of ‘being member to an armed organisation’. The court dropped the case on the charges of ‘forced disappearing’, ‘murder’, ‘extrajudicial killing’ on the grounds of statute of limitation.
Trials in Alleged Link to Coup Attempt…
The final trial of the case against former judge Hasan Hüseyin Özse who was dismissed by a state of emergency decree, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 on September 9, 2019. The court sentenced the defendant to 10 years for ‘being an illegal organisation member’.
Suspended City Council Members in Mus…
7 members of Mus City Council, all from HDP, are suspended by the Ministry of Interior on September 9, 2019. The members suspended are: Kader Erol, Filiz Aydin, Ceyhan Aydemir, Suat Kalin, Mehmet Sakir Tugrul, Musa Kaya and Mehmet Demir.
Curfew in Artuklu…
Mardin Governorate made a declaration on September 9, 2019 to announce curfew in Elmabahçe rural neighbourhood of Artuklu district as of 14.30 on September 9, 2019, until a further notice.
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[5] Daily Human Rights Reports are prepared on the information gathered by the Documentation Center from its own network and the following dailies and internet portals: Vatan, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Firat Haber Ajansi, Jinnews, ETHA, Mezopotamya Ajansi, Yurt, Yeni Yasam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Tr724, Ileri Haber, Siyasi Haber, Alinteri, Kizilbayrak, Sendika.org, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karinca, Gazete Duvar. Haber Sol, El Cezire, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP.